August 26th, 2010 by soullldiva

In keeping with the start of the Halloween season, Darren Aronofsky’s (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain) new film is called Black Swan. What happens when you marry ballet and horror? This does:

I never thought I would ever say these words: ballet is creepy, geez. And what about the black feathers poking through her shoulders (shudder). I love Darren Aronofsky, and The Fountain is one of the most beautiful and sad movies ever made. I adore Natalie Portman as well. I will give this one a try!

August 24th, 2010 by soullldiva

Special new addition to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Los Angeles:

Oh, that reminds me:

OH PUHLEEEEEZE Alan Ball, please to a musical/dance episode for True Blood. I know Stephen Moyer can sing, and I’m sure everyone else can, too. What is singing without some dance? Russell could dance with the candy jar full of Talbot, that would be interesting. I’d LOVE to see La La Lafayette do a number, come on. Alan, are you listening?

August 20th, 2010 by soullldiva

I LOVE Glee. I was in choirs and show choirs and musicals my whole young life through Middle School and High School and we never did anything close to what they do on this show. What I wouldn’t have done to have a rock band available every day for choir practice (who wouldn’t).

Since the premise of the show is a glee club in High School, it’s easy to segue into the musical numbers. Most of them are super fun. But this one was extra special.

Towards the end of the second season there is a storyline about Artie (played by the lovely Kevin McHale) seeking procedures and therapies to help him walk. Now, Glee has taken heat for its famous “wheelchair episode” where they did “Proud Mary” with the entire cast in wheelchairs. I don’t pretend to know what a wheelchair bound person deals with every day. All I can say is that there are people in wheelchairs and they are people just like anyone else and should be treated with respect like any other person on this earth. I’m glad for Artie’s character because paraplegics don’t get enough screen time. TV just isn’t “real world” enough, and they sometimes don’t want to highlight the tougher issues that might just “bring us down”. How people deal with their confinement in the chairs and still express their art is what makes them unique. And everyone needs to play up their uniqueness, because there is only one YOU. (thanks Mia)

Artie talks with Emma Pilsbury (Jayma Mays) about the different experimental treatments they are doing to help people walk again. I really hate that her character discourages him from these, saying that they are in the first stages and would take years to perfect, let alone use. I actually don’t like her character all the time (now Sue Sylvester on the other hand I’ll take any day, considering how she treated the Down’s Syndrome girl, yea).

But then Artie is at the mall with his new girlfriend Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) and tells her that he’s actually been doing the treatments, and he thinks they’re really working.

The dance is so completely awesome it makes you want to get up and dance with him. This is also the first time we see Kevin McHale out of the chair and moving. Hey–he can effin’ dance!! The song is a perfect choice for the scene as well, as 80′s one-hit-wonder pop tunes usually are (thank you Men Without Hats). You are so elated by the dance and Artie’s obvious joy that when the song abruptly ends and slams him back in his wheelchair your heart is pinched hard. Tears sprang to my eyes. You and empathize a bit more with Artie and his longings. If you were in a wheelchair, would you want to dance too? I would.

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August 19th, 2010 by soullldiva

Ok, the rumors are starting to fly for season 11 of Dancing With the Stars. The full cast will be revealed in under two weeks, Monday August 30th on ABC. Here’s a few of the rumors that I found on the “intranets” over the past couple of days:

1. Newly engaged Bachelorette stars Ali and Roberto: They deny it and I certainly hope so. I don’t watch the Bachelorette and I’m not interested in them.

2. Jersey Shore’s The Situation: Um…who? The only one I know is Snookie, and I can’t stand her. Although he would fill the “funny/oddball/comedian” slot.

3. Former NFL Quarterback Kurt Warner: This could most likely be a joke like the one Troy Aikman made up about himself and told TMZ a couple of weeks ago. But you usually need an NFL player on each season, so who knows?

4. Real Housewife Teresa Giudice: Teresa Tweeted that she is “thinking” about being on the show. Well, thinking and being asked by ABC are two different things, Teresa.

5. Deadliest Catch’s Sig Hansen: Again, not familiar with him, but anyone who does that death-defying job is ok in my book. Can he dance at all?

6. Mel Gibson Ex Oksana Grigorieva: Not sure how I feel about this. She would certainly get the exposure her music career needs, now that it no longer has Mel’s money.

7.Super Babe Betty White: I picked her for my dream cast list, too, so I don’t blame ABC at ALL.

I read a great article on Entertainment Weekly.com where writer Annie Barrett came up with her own dream team like I did a couple of weeks ago, and I LOVED her picks of Elizabeth Berkley and Leonard Nimoy. Great picks, Annie!

August 18th, 2010 by soullldiva

OK–what woman, due to be married to the love of their life or not, wouldn’t want private dance lessons with Maksim Chmerkovskiy???? I’m there, ya’ll. I didn’t dance at my wedding, but I got to sing, and it was one of the greatest moments in my life (unfortunately I surprised my guests so much with my performance that there is NO video record of this anywhere). My brother and his wife danced, and I will never for get that!

Lucky Chelsea and her then fiancée Marc Mezvinsky took lessons from Dancing With the Stars’ bad boy Maks to do a very sexy dance to Michael Buble’s “Feeling Good”. They didn’t tell anyone about the first dance (my brother and his wife kept it a secret, too). Needless to say, there were reportedly raised eyebrows at the dance, but a great surprise and enjoyment for the guests as well.

Anybody see a video floating around? Let me know!